FMLA in Maryland is already supplemented by the Maryland Flexible Leave Act which provides employees, of employers with 15 or more employees, with the ability to use paid leave that has been earned by the employee for an illness in the employee’s immediate family. Additionally, Maryland’s Senate Bill 12 (SB-12) is scheduled to take effect on October 12, 2013, which will provide a one-day leave for the deployment or return of an employee’s family member serving abroad as a member of the armed forces of the United States. Unlike federal FMLA, the SB-12 supplement to FMLA in Maryland includes a sibling in the list of “immediate family” members.

FMLA in Maryland, like other states with supplemental laws, can be confusing. But the most prudent policy is to apply laws individually and completely. If confusion persists and legal advice is not available, the best choice is to apply the regulation that offers greatest benefit to the employee. A flurry of large dollar judgments against employers who failed to comply has rekindled covered employers compliance concerns. And the $80,000 price tag now associated with the legal defense of FMLA lawsuits, win or lose, is drawing new attention to FMLA in Maryland.

But federal FMLA in Maryland was also directly affected by the Supreme Court’s, June 26, 2013 ruling that left the definition of marriage up to individual states. And since Maryland has decided to recognize same-sex marriage, then covered employers must treat all couples who were legally married and living in Maryland, exactly the same regarding application of federal FMLA laws. This ruling in particular seems to be causing consternation and confusion. However, since 2000, many employers have found Qcera’s cloud-based, LeaveSource™ FMLA & leave administration software to be the most successful defense, by avoiding compliance problems and confusion. Employers of any size have found LeaveSource products to be the most well-orchestrated, cost-efficient, and user-friendly FMLA and leave administration solutions available. Due to the helpfulness of LeaveSource™ products, FMLA in Maryland is not required to be a four-letter word.

Compliance with FMLA in Maryland can be simple with the implementation and utilization of LeaveSource™  software. More than a million employees are currently being administered with these products and Qcera clients are the products’ greatest fans and promoters. For more information visit www.LeaveSource.com or to arrange for a demonstration, simply click on the red button above. FMLA in Maryland need not be a concern.